James Potter and the Marauder's Map  CANON fic
by AilaNerci
Summary: This tells James Potter's first year at Hogwarts. If this goes well, I'm going to write another one about his second year and so forth. The original intention is to write about all his years at Hogwarts. It'll be very fun to write, and hopefully, to read
1. Chapter 1  Sirius Black

**Chapter One**  
_Sirius Black _

King's cross station was especially crowded that day. There seemed to be a large number of people carring owls on their trolley, which intrigued the rest. Going towards platform nine, was a family of strange looking folks, wearing weird clothes, and, of course, owls trapped in cages that stood on top of a large trunk on the trolley. The man pushing it was tall, grey haired, with golden eyes and an agitated, yet tired attitude. He was beside a woman that didn't look older than fifty or younger than 45. She wore glasses that showed her brown eyes slightly bigger, had very black straight hair, and was talking to her son, who seemed annoyed.

"Yes, mother, I'll write every other day" he was telling her while rolling his eyes. He seemed about 11 or 12 years old, and looked very much like his mother, wore glasses as well, but had his father's golden eyes.

"Good. And will you be careful?" she asked.

"Yes." he replied, while looking at the wall between platforms 9 and ten with excitment in his expression.

"James, you're not even paying attention and - _James!_"

"Merlin's pants mother, _what_ is it?"

"You're not listening to me, this is important. If you get into trouble-"

"Give the boy a chance to enjoy this, Martha" said his father, "He knows he has to behave."

"Oh Charles, do you really think James knows _anything_ about good behaviour?" Martha answered. "You act like you've never met him"

"Look mum" James started, before his father could answer. "I'll behave, I'll write you, I'll stay out of trouble, ok? Will you please stop yelling, though? People are staring."

"Fine. I just hope you're sticking to that promise." said his mother.

"I'm sure he will" said his father, but James knew he wasn't really believing it. "Now let's go, shall we? You first, James."

The boy walked quickly towards the wall, but he did not collide with it. In the blink of an eye, he was in another place full of steam, and slightly noisier. He looked around and stared at the Hogwarts Express, a rush of excitment hitting him. His mother showed up beside him, and shortly afterwards, his father with the trolley.

"Hm, we're a bit early." said Charles, glancing quickly at his watch.

"That's okay." replied James. "You can go. I'll be fine."

"Don't be silly, James" Martha said. "We'll stay."

"Hum, actually dear, I do have to be at the ministry by 11 and it's already half past ten"

"Oh but we can't just leave him! Can't your ministry business wait a little longer?"

"It's okay mum, I'll be-" James started, but his father interrupted.

"How many times do I have to ask you not to refer to my job as though it were simply an obstacle in your life, Martha... As Minister, I have certain responsabilities"

"And as a father, you have even greater responsabilities", she replied angrily. "I certainly do not think your work is useless. I simply think you sometimes forget that there are other things in life. This is a pretty big moment for your son, and as his father, you're supposed to be there for him."

"I'm here, aren't I? He says so himself, he'll be fine. There is an important trial at eleven o' clock. I need to be there, I'm sorry, but I do. So _please_, let's not argue anymore." He turned to James. "James, I'm very sorry, but I have to go. Do you need me to call your uncle and ask him to come and stay with you?"

"No, it's ok... Really, mum, I'll be fine. I don't have to wait here that long and there's already people on the train..." the boy said, and smiled awkwardly.

"Fine then." Martha said but she didn't look so pleased. "You behave."

"I will." He said, and started to take his trunk and his owl cage from the trolley.

"Good luck with the sorting, son!" His father smiled. "I gotta say, I hope you're in Gryffindor!"

"No need to hope, dad. I'm a Potter. Potters are always in Gryffindor." James said, proudly.

"Atta boy." Charles replied, smiling.

"James, we'll love you no matter what house you're in..." Martha said.

"I'll be in Gryffindor." James said, firmly.

She sighed. "Stubborn like your father."

Charles rolled his eyes. "Bye, James. Write us as soon as you get there" He then bent down and whispered in his ear "Otherwise your mother will drive me crazy"

James laughed. "Bye, dad."

"Good luck, James" said Martha. "Stay out of trouble."

James rolled his eyes in a very good imitation of his father and said "For the 20th time, I'll behave and I'll stay out of trouble... Bye, mum."

His mother kissed him goodbye, and he started dragging his trunk with one hand, while holding his owl cage with the other. As he walked towards the train, the rush of excitment hit him again, this time stronger.


	2. Chapter 2  The girl and the boy

**Author's notes (Important!): **This chapter contains DH spoilers.

And if you still wish to read i, that snape memory in the Hogwarts Express is in the chapter, in James' point of view. So let me make this clear: Every line from Snape's entrance to his exit was written by J.K Rowling, not me. Thanks and I hope you like it!

**CHAPTER 2**

_The girl and the boy _

He was so eager to enter the Hogwarts Express for the first time, he entered the first compartment he saw, which had only a tall, dark haired boy sitting by the window.

"Hey! Mind if I join you?" James asked.

"Don't see why not, let me help you." The boy answered as he stood up, and helped James with his owl cage, and then with his trunk. With a lot of effort they were able to get it inside.

"Thanks" said James, panting, and he sat down in front of him.

"No problem...I'm Sirius, by the way. Sirius Black."

"I'm James Potter."

"You're the minister's son?" Sirius asked, casually.

"Yeah."

"Cool"

"Hum, not really." James replied.

"Yeah, I figured.", Sirius grinned.

He grinned back, and then suddenly spotted the book in Sirius' hand. It was entitled "The Ultimate Quidditch Info for aspiring players".

"You like quidditch?" he asked.

"I'd be a moron if I didn't, wouldn't I?"

James laughed. "Certainly."

"You know, I'm gonna try out for the team at Hogwarts. I reckon I'd be a good beater. Maybe we could go together, if we're in the same house. Are you any good?"

"Good? I'm fantastic. I'm gonna try out for the seeker position."

"Cool! Hey did you-" But he stopped as they suddenly heard the compartment door slide open. There came in a pretty red haired girl, with very bright green eyes.

"Excuse me." she said kindly. "Could I join you?"

"Sure" said James and Sirius at the same time, and they stood up to help her put her trunk in.

"Thanks" she said, and sat down far from Sirius, closer to the window, while he sat in the opposite side of James, closer to the door.

He – James -thought the girl looked a bit upset, inspite of her politeness towards them. He ignored that thought, because he was way too enthusiastic about his Quidditch talk with Sirius.

"So what were you about to say?" he asked him.

"I was going to ask you wether you went to the World cup last year?"

"Yeah, I did! Did you see Trevikroff? The seeker from the Russian national team? He was brilliant..."

"I thought Krimmuold was better. The Irish, you know?"

"Oh come on, he can't be compared to Trevikroff. He was able to get the snitch when it was inches away from the Blugarian seeker! It was an impossible move, it was practically a lost match... Krimmuold just spun around a bit, nothing exciting."

"_Nothing exciting?"_

And the conversation went on and on, but the girl did not seem to paying the slightest atention. The train moved, and she stared out the window. The only interesting thing happened only about three hours later, when a pale, dark haired boy entered the compartment and silently sat in front of the red headed girl, who said something James and Sirius didn't really understand, for they were now arguing about broomsticks.

"Cleansweep is just ridiculous. It's for children..." Sirius was saying.

They knew there were two other people talking,but they didn't care to pay atention. Quidditch seemed to require all their concentration.

"You gotta at least have a Nimbus..."

When Sirius started to search his trunk for a magazine he wanted to show James, they could finally make out what was being said right beside them.

"You'd better be in Slytherin", he heard the boy saying. He, who had heard his father complain so many times about this malefic house, who had heard stories about the wizards who had belonged there in their student years, felt suddenly mad at the strange boy that sat at one or two feet from him.

"Slytherin?" he said. "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He turned to Sirius, who had stopped searching his trunk to listen.

He did not smile, and said darkly "My whole famiy have been in Slytherin"

"Blimey!" James replied. "And I thought you seemed alright!"

Sirius then grinned and said. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

He lifted an invisible sword, a serious expression on his face. "_Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart"_

The boy made a small, disparaging noise. James instictively turned to him.

"Got a problem with that?" he said.

"No." the boy replied. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where're you hoping to go" Sirius interjected. "seeing as you're neither?"

James started laughing. The girl, who had been so polite to them just a few hours ago, sat up, and looked at them in dislike. "Come on, Severus." she said. "Let's find another compartment."

"Ooooo..." James mocked, as Sirius imitated the girl's lofty voice. "See ya Snivellus" he was saying.

The compartment door was shut, and they were left alone, roaring with laughter.


End file.
